This invention relates generally to ultrasound point-of-care, such as wound care devices, and, more particularly, to deflector shields to protect an operator from splashing from hand-held debridement devices.
Debridement is the surgical excision of dead, devitalized, and contaminated tissue, and/or the removal of foreign matter from a wound. Hand-held ultrasound wound debridement devices provide a viable option for wound debridement. Hand-held ultrasound wound debridement devices, generally include a fluid system with an ultrasound system to provide and energize a stream of fluid to dislodge unwanted tissue and foreign matter from a wound and may also include a suction system to collect dislodged matter and the irrigated fluid. However, due to the use of a pressurized solution and the ultrasound energy input, the use of such systems can, disadvantageously, result in the splashing of irrigation fluid, tissues, body fluids and debris from the patient onto, e.g, the health care professional operating the irrigation device increasing risks of disease transmission.
Developments have been made to reduce the amount of splash generated from wound debridement devices utilizing a fluid as the mechanism for debridement. Various shields or splash guards have been utilized in an effort to contain and deflect excess irrigation and body fluids away from the health care professional operating the debridement device. Examples of splash shield devices in the prior art include; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,174 to Sperry, U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,004 to Tremaine et al., US Application No. 2003/0204200 to Rufener, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,724 to Smith et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,929 to Smith et al.
Conventional splash deflection devices generally comprise structures formed about and extending outwardly from a debridement tip. These prior art devices suffer from numerous deficiencies. For example, the suction created by the debridement tip typically forms a sufficient vacuum to cause conventional splash deflection shields to adhere to the patient during the debridement procedure, resulting in ineffective irrigation of the wound and discomfort to the patient.
Conventional shield, or deflection devices, due to their materials of construction and their size and shape, often interfere with the user's ability to monitor the area being debrided. Additionally, conventional deflection devices are typically incorporated into a debridement tip and are not capable of being retrofitted to alternative wound debridement devices.